As you know, the DOT requires supervisors of safety-sensitive employees to complete a minimum of one hour of training on alcohol abuse and one hour of training on drug use. This mandatory training equips supervisors with the knowledge they need to make authoritative and defendable Reasonable-Suspicion testing determinations.
We’ve designed this brief quiz to test your ability to determine when DOT Reasonable-Suspicion testing is required. Read each scenario and select either test or don’t test. Once you have completed the quiz, check your answers and read the guidance.
Need a quick, inexpensive way to brush up on your Reasonable-Suspicion testing knowledge or meet your mandatory training requirement? Check out our next DOT Supervisor Training for Reasonable-Suspicion Drug and Alcohol Testing webinar on June 10. Sign up now to grab one of the last few seats in the session.
Scenario 1
Kevin is slurring his words and staggering. You smell a faint order of alcohol that may or may not be his after shave.
Scenario 2
You’ve heard rumors that Tina uses drugs. Another driver finds a joint on the floor of one of the trucks that Tina regularly drives. He says it belongs to Tina.
Scenario 3
Jim is exhibiting some classic signs of probable drug use – shaking hands, bloodshot eyes and dry mouth. He’s about to hop into the truck for a cross-country trip.
Scenario 4
Todd is not your favorite employee. He’s a slob and has a bad attitude. You just overheard him telling one of his co-workers that ‘herion is cool.’
Quiz Answers and Explanations
Two of the four situations above offer clear evidence supporting Reasonable-Suspicion testing. Remember, Reasonable-Suspicion testing determinations must be based on specific, contemporaneous and articulable observations. Don’t forget that you must document your observations within 24 hours of the determination or before the test result is released.
Scenario 1
Test. You can conduct Reasonable-Suspicion Alcohol testing based on the slurring, staggering and odor of alcohol.
Scenario 2
Do Not Test. You haven’t observed any signs of impairment so you cannot test. Rumors do not provide a basis for Reasonable-Suspicion testing.
Scenario 3
Test. You can perform a controlled substances test. Jim appears to be exhibiting chronic withdrawal symptoms, which can be used for a drug test. Withdrawal signs may not be used for Reasonable-Suspicion alcohol testing.
Scenario 4
Do Not Test. As long as Todd is not exhibiting any short- or long-term indicators of substance abuse, you can not send him in for a Reasonable-Suspicion drug test. However, it is a good idea to document the fact that he was discussing drugs with a co-worker. This information could help support a future test determination.
Need Supervisor Training?
Don’t worry if you can’t make the DOT Supervisor Training for Reasonable-Suspicion Drug and Alcohol Testing webinar on June 10. We have plenty of sessions planned for the future. Alternatively, you can use our popular Supervisor Reasonable-Suspicion Video Training Package to meet your training requirements.